Declawing is an inhumane and incredibly painful procedure for cats to endure. It can lead to lifelong pain, discomfort, and behavioral issues. The procedure involves removing the first joint of the cat’s toe, equivalent to amputating the tip of a person's finger from the first knuckle on. As a result, cats can suffer from symptoms such as chronic foot pain, infection, arthritis and difficulty walking.

Owners may declaw their cats in an attempt to prevent unwanted scratching, but sometimes the declaw procedure will actually cause cats to exhibit new problematic behaviors. Declawed cats are more likely to urinate outside of the litter box because the litter becomes painful to walk on, and declawed cats may be more likely to bite because they can no longer use their paws and claws for protection. Furthermore, scratching is an important natural cat behavior that helps them exercise and tone their muscles.

Proponents of declawing claim that the practice keeps cats in homes. However, data from U.S. cities that have banned declawing shows a decline in the number of relinquished cats since the bans were enacted. Because of the problems that declawing can bring, it may actually make an owner more likely to relinquish their cat.

​Effective and humane alternatives to the declawing exist, and ACR implores you to explore these alternative options and refrain from this torturous procedure. 

Becoming a TNR volunteer is easier than you might think. If you want to help cats, becoming involved in TNR is a simple but impactful way to save cats lives.

TNR helps prevent kittens from being born on street and over burdening our shelter system.

How can you get involved? The basics of TNR are divided into three phases: planning, trapping, and treating. First, establish a feeding time, then count the number of cats. Next, make an appointment with a clinic for the spays/neuters. Obtain traps and other supplies that you will need.

Have the person feeding the cats withhold food for a day. Prepare the traps with newspaper and bait. Next, set the traps and wait for the cats to enter. Once trapped, cover with a towel and transport them home for the evening. In the morning, take the cats to the clinic so they can be spayed/neutered, ear tipped, and vaccinated. After the recovery period, return the cats back to their colony. 

If that process seems a bit too overwhelming, there are many other ways to get involved. You can volunteer to help transport cats, trap cats, fundraise, foster kittens and much more.

​Action Alert
HELP STOP THE ABUSE OF CATS IN LABRATORIES
Between 20,000-25,000 cats are abused in U.S. laboratories each year. These cats end up in shelters, or come from Class B dealers, who then sell them to universities for use in painful, torturous, and often deadly experiments. Universities are one of the biggest perpetrators of these cruel acts; cats are frequently used in neurology research to study spinal cord injuries, as well as problems related to vision, sleep, and hearing. This is because experimenters know so much about their neurological functions. This type of research is particularly cruel and invasive, and nearly always results in the euthanasia of the cats.
Now is the time to take action to protect these cats from cruel and inhumane treatment. The Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences (HEARTS) Act, introduced in February 2019, will help “ensure that non-animal methods are prioritized, where applicable and feasible, in proposals for all research to be conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health.” The bill goes on to state that animal welfare oversight “is generally weak and little heed is paid to the use of non-animal methods or the avoidance of duplication, thereby unnecessarily subjecting animals to pain, suffering, and death.”
Now it’s up to you to contact your federal Representative and ask that s/he support the HEARTS Act (H.R. 1209). Tell him/her that there are alternatives to animal testing!